Internal-combustion engine.



A. L. RIKER.

INTERNAL comsusnow ENGlNE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, I909.

Patented J 11110 29, 191-}.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wiimsses A. L. RIKER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13. 1909.

1,144,433. Patented June 29, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 run,

I, umg

A. L. RIKER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1909.

Patented June 29, 1915.

L144A33N,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENT @FldllCE ANDREW L BIKER, OLE WIDGEPOBT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TOTHE LOGOMOBILE. COMPANY OFAMERICA, OE NEW=YORK N. Y., A CORPORATION OFWEST VIRGINIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 11915.

Application filedaltug-ust 13, 1909. Serial No. 512,665.

citizen of the UnitedStates,.and a residentof Bridgeport,.in the. countyof Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have inventedan Improvement inInternal-Combustion gines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to internal comtmstion engines, consisting inimprovements both in the operation and construction of such engine.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying illustrationof one specific embodiment thereof, while its scopewill be more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation takenthrough a-cylinder and the crank case of amultiple cylinder engineembodying one form of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partlyin section, .showingthe fuel vaporizing and'controlling apparatus andits connection to the engine admission passages; Fig.- 3' is asectionalside elevation taken on the line 33 in Fig.- 2, showing thevaporizer;'and'Fi gs-. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sectional diagrams showingdiflerent positions of an engine piston and its controlling valie'.

' Referring to the-drawings-and to the embodiment of my inventiontherein selected for illustrative purposes, I have there shown theconstruction of one cylinder of a four cylinder engine. This engineisillustrated as of a size and form'suitable. for automobile use, but itis thus shown for illustrative purposes only, my invention beingindependent of the size or type of engine employed, and also independentof its utilization in an engine having either a single cylinder or aplurality of cylinders.

The engine is shown as supportedupon the crank casing 1 inw-hich issuitably journaled the engine crank shaft 2 having a crank and crank pinconnection to the. piston rod 3, which latter has a trunk connection tothe piston 4. The pistonisadapted tov reciprocate Within a suitableupright cylmeter 5, the latter herein shown as surrounded by the usualWater jacket 6 and having its end closed byan appropriately shaped head7, into which latter is fitted a plug 8-forming part of the ignitionapparatus. The latter may be of any suitable nature, but herein isof-the jump spark type having electric connections 9 tea suitable highpotential force of current.

While my invention as to certain of its features is not limited to the.type of en gine employed, the particular form of engine shown isconstructed to operate upon the Otto or four cycle principle, andpresents various features of novelty in its mode of'operation,particularly in respcctto the introduction of the fuel charged air intothe working cylinderof the engine. Designed tocoiiperate particularlywith this type of engine, but having also useful application to engineswhichiare functionally and constructionally quite different from the onedescribed,there are provided various constructional features of novelty,particularly in respect to the arrangement of cylinder ports, thecontrolling valve or valves and the o crating parts therefor.

Re erring to Fig. 1, both the admission of fuel mixture to the cylinderand the exhaustof' the-spent gases therefrom is controlled by means ofasleeve valve 10 arranged concentrieally-with and between the Walls ofthe .reci-procatory piston 4 and those of its cylinder 5. This sleevevalve is reciprocatedand suitably timed with reference to the movementsof the piston through the connection of-its lower end to a connectingrod 11, which latter is connected to the valveopera-tin-g crank-shaft12. The valve crankshaft is preferably driven :it one half thespeed-of'the engine crank shaft 2 by means of intermeshing gear;indicated respectively {11:13 and 14. The lower end of the sleeve isopen and-projects below the bottom of the cylinder While the upper partis constructed to slide betweenthe cylinder walls and the Walls of thecylinder head 7, which latter is provided with appropriate packingdevices at 15'. For the lubrication of the valve,

the 0nd of the latter is caused to project into a lubricating chamber 16suitably supplied with lubricant through the feed pipe 17*.

While in respect to certain features of my invention, the particularport arrangement as related to the operation of the engine is immaterialherein, for certain purposes, hereinafter referred to, I have soarranged the admission port that admission takes place near the forwardend of the cylinder through an appropriate admission space 17 the latterpreferably encircling the cylinder. At an appropriate time in themovement of the sleeve the admission space 17 is opened to an admissionport or ports 18 formed circumferentially in the valve sleeve 10, sothat, when the port is simultaneously uncovered by the piston, thefuelcharged air from-the fuel vaporizing device 19 is supplied to thecylinder through the intermediate fuel supply passages 20.

In order to secure a quick admission, the port 18 is rendered effectivefor substantially its entire circumferential extent, being preferablyformed in diametrically opposite portions of the sleeve and as shown inFig. 1 extending entirely around the sleeve except where it isinterrupted by the sleeve portions 20 which are obtained only topreserve mechanical continuity of the sleeve.

For the exhaust of the spent gases, the cylinder is provided with anexhaust space 21, which, like the admission space 17 encircles theentire circumferential extent of the valve sleeve. The sleeve in turn isprovided with an exhaust port or ports 22 of suitable extent and, likethe admission port 18, preferably opening through the sleeve forsubstantially the entire effective circumferential extent thereof, sothat, when the sleeve is depressed to such position as to conneet theexhaust space 21- with the interior of the sleeve, the gases may passout from behind the piston in all directions and discharge through theexhaust space and the connecting, double exhaust, muffle pipes 23, whichare provided with large and substantial cross sectional area. As hereinconstructed, the lower edge 24 of the reentrant cylinder head forms theeflective edge of the cylinder exhaust port, the exhaust remainingclosed until the lower edge of the valve port 22 is depressed below theedge 24 of the cylinder head. It will be seen that the described portconstruction leaves the valve in a condition of substantial balance bothin relation to the admission and exhaust, while a combustion chambertheoretically, perfect is secured having no pocket, a minimum of surfacefor a given volume and a concave clearance space provided by the head 7which space may be of any size desired by the designer.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive and to the mode of operation ofthe engine, it will be observed that the latter presents certainadvantageous features which in many respects are independent of thedetail construction of-valves, ports or other disclosed parts of theengine. Starting with the piston at the dead center and just beginningthe power or first down stroke, as shown in Fig. 4, the sleeve valvethen assumes the position there shown with the exhaust port 22 closedand the admission port 18 communicating with the cylinder admissionspace 17 but covered by the piston. At this time the piston is movingslowly, but the sleeve relatively fast. Preferably at the describedstage, and at approximately the top center position shown, the fuelmixture is fired by the sparking device in the end of the head. Thisdrives the piston down on its power stroke from the position shown inFig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 5. Near the end of the downward powerstroke the sleeve valve reaches a sufficiently depressed position toopen the working chamber to the exhaust space 21. At this point, thesleeve is still moving rapidly and the piston again moving slowly, sothat although this may be made to occur quite late in the power stroke,the full effective area of the exhaust port is quickly availed ofimmediately following the completion of the power stroke. During thismovement of the piston, the position of the sleeve is such that thepiston cannot uncover the admission port 18 even in its lowermostposition. Having completed the power strokethe piston commences itsexhaust return stroke, moving from the position shown in Fig.- 5 to thatshown in Fig. 6. During this piston movement, the sleeve moves veryslowly, maintainin the exhaust port open for the expulsion 0 the gasesuntil the end of the exhaust stroke. At the close of the. exhaust stroke(see Fig. 6), the sleeve has again acquired a rapidmovement while thepiston is again moving slowly, so that the exhaust port is closed atsubstantially the top center position of the crank. 'As the pistonstarts on the 'nextflforward or ehargingstroke, it moves to the positionshown in Fig.7 During the major portion of this movement, the explosionchamber is entirely closed, so that during its forward movement thepiston acts .as a vacuum pump. creating apartial vacmin in the explosionchamber. v.Atthe same time, the sleeve valve is moving rapidly in theopposite direction, .so that near, the end of the forward pistonmovement the admiss sion port 18, which has already moved back intoregistration with the admission space 17, is uncovered by thepiston andthe fuelcharged air-is forcedinto the working chamber of theengine-through the admission space and the circumferential valve portsunder the pressure difference. existing ,be-

tween the partial vacuum in the Working chamber and the external air.

Owing to the large, available, cross sectional area of the admissionport and the fact that the parts may be so adjusted as to maintain thead-mission'portop'en for a prolonged interval, herein corresponding toapproximately 100 of engine cran shaft travel, the working chamber willreceive an adequate charge of fuel mixture, even though the chargingoperation is delayed until approximately the forward end of thepiston'stroke. Irrespective, however, of these constructionalcharacteristics, the. fact that the explosive mixture is delivered intothe working chamber at a material and substantial initial pressuredifferent enforces an almost instantaneous charging of the chamber withthe mixture as soon as the admission port is opened. The vacuum-causedpressure di'f ference produced by the descent of the piston for chargingthe chamber may be varied by design within wide limits, the particularinitial pressure secured in the described form of engine beingapproximately ten pounds per square inch, resulting from the productionof about two thirds of a total vacuum.

An important advantage lies in the fact that the charging pressureproduced by the vacuum-creating movement of the piston is substantiallythe same under varying conditions of engine speed, for, the admissionport being always opened at the same point in the travel of the piston,substantially the same vacuum is always produced, whether the engine isrunning fast or slow, and the pressure at which the engine is chargedand at which the air is forced through the fuel aporizer is thereforesubstantially the same for all speeds of the engine.

In the ordinary four cycle engines, Where the fuel enters the workingchamber with and during the suction movement of the pis ton, theentrance velocity of the fuel vapor is dependent chiefly on the lineartravel of the piston. lVith such an engine subject to wide speedvariations, not only is the engine charged under quite difierentconditions for different speeds, but the widely varying velocity of theair renders diflieult theeflieient vaporization of the fuel at thevaporizer. Perfect carburation is only accomplished under substantiallyconstant conditions of air velocity through the vaporizer, and tocorrect for the usual varying velocity of the air, it is customary toprovide the ordinary engine with automatic air valve or other correctingdevices to offset the varying suetions due to changes in engine speed".iVith the engine herein described, where a constant charging pressure isprovided, not only may the desirable condition of a high air velocitythrough the carburetor be main tained, since the initial chargingpressure occasioned by the vacuum is materially hi'g'l'ier than thatsecured by the ordinary process of suction, but substantially the samevelocity of air is always had past the atomizing nozzle of thecarburetor, so that a carbureter elementary in form may me employed andsubstantially ideal conditions of carburation secured irrespective ofengine speed.

Referring to the carbureter 15) shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seenthat this may be reduced to an extremely simple but quite eiiicientform. As shown in Fig. 2, a pan of the admission pipes 20 are provided,one connecting with the admission spaces of each pair of engines,'and'these communicate with a branched pipe 25 into which is drawn thevaporized fuel from the underlying vaporizer 19. The latter is providedwith a float chamber 27 having the annular float 9S arrangedconcentrically about the delivery or atomiziug passage 29. The passage29 has arranged with it the upright atomizing nozzle 30, the bore ofwhich communicates through the chamber 21 and the passage 32 with thefloat chamber 27. Volatile liquid fuel is supplied to the float chamberfrom any suitable source of supply through the chamber 33, perforatedsleeve and the orifice 35, the latter controlled by the needle valve 36.The valve is connected to be controlled by the float 28 through thefloat arm 37 and may also be manually controlled for starting by meansof the externally accessible actu ating rod 37. Liquid fuel passingthrough the atomizing nozzle and controlled by the float in the usualmanner is vaporized by the air drawn past the nozzle through the airorifices 38 under the vacuum-produced charging pressure of the engine.

Any suitable control may be provided for the engine, but herein the sameembodied in a pair of controlling throttles 39, one being providedtoreach admission pipe :0 and each pair of cylinders and controllingsimultaneously the fuel vapor from the vaporizer and the auxiliary airsupply. In the form herein shown; the throttle is in. the form of a cupshaped sleeve slidably mounted in the casing 4-0, the latter providedwith auxiliary air openings -l-l adapted to register with similar()l'iOlIlllQS 42 in the sides of the throttle. The inner end 4? of theeasing-is slidably seated in the admission pipe and is provided withcirciuul'ercntial ports 4% which afford the only commuuication betweenthe admission pipe 20 and the branched pipe 25' leading from thevaporizer. lVith the throttle wide open as shown in Fig. 2, the fullarea of the ports H may be availed of for the vaporized fuel, as well asthe fuel area of the ports 4-1 for the auxiliary air. The throttle has adepending stem 45 jointed (see Fig. 1) to an arm 46 attached to a rockshaft 47. The rock shaft is normally turned to hold the valves in fullopen position by means of the springs 48, but may be turnedsimultaneously to close the valve more or less by means of thecontrolling lever 49. It will be seen that as the valve is closed, itserves not only to close the fuel vapor' ports a4, but to closeproportionately the auxiliary air ports 41.

Referring again to the movement of the engine piston and the valve, itwill be noted that the admission port 17 is opened only on eachalternate or charging stroke of the piston. On the power stroke of thepiston, the port remains closed as shown in Fig. 5, so that no chance isafforded of igniting the supply fuel in the admission space. When thepiston starts on its return or compression stroke, the admission port 18is soon closed and the charge compressed in the'usual manner.

It is also to be understood that, while, in many of these broad aspects,my invention is not limited to the details of construction,

of the particular form or arrangement of parts herein shown,nevertheless the described form of engine embodiesmany constructionalfeatures in the'valves, ports and other elements which likewise areindependent of the operation of this particular engine and may beusefully embodied in engines of other and well-known types.

While for the purposes of illustrating one concrete embodiment of myinvention, I have herein shown an engine of ascertain type and equip edwith certain constructional features, it is to be understood that notonly-is my invention limited neither to the particular-details ofconstruction shown nor to the mode of operation of the enginehereindescribed, but that wide deviations from the embodiment hereindisclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Claims:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder ofa piston, an admission port formed in the walls of said cylinder, asleeve admission valve concentric with the piston and arranged directlyupon the cylinder to control said cylinder port, and means formaintaining said admission valve closed during the suction movement ofthe piston but for opening the same after the creation of a substantialvacuum caused by the suction movement thereof.

2. A four-cycle internal combustion engine having in combination acylinder provided with admission and exhaust ports, a piston, a slidevalve arranged concentrically with the cylinder, means for firing acharge in the space between the piston and the end of the cylinder, andmeans for moving said slidelvalve to open the exhaust port on one inwardpiston stroke and the admission port on the next outward piston strokebut not until near the end thereof and close both said ports on the twosucceeding piston strokes.

3. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination with acylinder having a closed end and provided with exhaust passages havingport openings upon the opposite sides of the cylinder, said cylinderhaving also an admission port, means for firing a charge in the spacebetween the closed end of the cylinder and the piston, means for openingsaid exhaust ports on one inward stroke of the piston and the admissionort on the next succeeding outward stroke 0 the piston but only afterthe creation of a substantial vacuum and for closing both said ports onthe two succeeding piston strokes of the same cycle.

4. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination with acylinder havmg a closed end, said cylinder having an exhaust portextending substantially around the entire circumferential extent of thecylinder andhaving also an admission port, a piston, means for firing acharge between the piston and the end of the cylinder, means for openinthe exhaust port on one forward stroke of t e piston and the admissionport on the next succeeding inward stroke but only after the creation ofa substantial vacuum and for closing both said ports on the twosucceeding piston strokes.

5. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination with acylinder and piston, said cylinder having admission and exhaust ports ofa slide valve between the piston and cylinder, means for firing a chargebetween the piston and the end of the cylinder and means for moving saidslide valve to open the exhaust on one outward stroke of the piston andthe admission on the next inward stroke of the piston, but only afterthe creation of a substantial vacuum while closing both admission andexhaust on the next two succeeding strokes of the piston.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder andpiston, of a slide valve concentric with the piston havingan admissionport opening into the cylinder uncovered by the piston only near the endof the charging stroke of the latter.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder andpiston, of a sleevevalve concentrically arranged between the piston andcylinder, said valve being provided with an admission port near itsforward end and an exhaust port near its rear end, the former beingadapted to open said cylinder to the fuel mixture near the completion ofthe forward stroke of the piston after the formation of a substantialvacuum.

8. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination with acylinder and a.

nuance piston or means for firing a charge between the piston and theclosing end of the cylinder, said cylinder being provided with admissionand exhaust ports arranged at different points lengthwise the same,slide valve means for controlling both said admission and exhaust ports,and means for moving said slide valve means to open said admission andexhaust ports respectively on succeeding piston strokes and to close thesame on the next two succeeding piston strokes, said admission portbeing opened only after the formation of a substantial vacuum by thepiston on its suction stroke.

9, An internal combustion engine having a cylinder, and piston, and asleeve valve concentric with the piston, said valve being adapted toopen the cylinder to the fuel mixture near the completion of the forwardstroke of the piston.

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinderhaving inlet and exhaust ports, a slide valve arranged directly uponsaid cylinder to directly control said admission port, and means formoving said slide valve to open the cyllnder to the admission only nearthe end of the admission stroke and after the formation of a substantialvacuum by the piston.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinderhaving inlet and exhaust ports, slide valve means arranged directly uponsaid cylinder to directly control said admission and exhaust ports,actuatlng means for said slide valve means whereby said ports remainclosed during the compression stroke and until substantially the endofthe explosion stroke and whereby the exhaust port remains closedduring the ad-. mission stroke and whereby said admission port is openednear. the end only of the admission stroke. a

12. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder,admission and exhaust ports therein, a piston, a slide valve concentricwith the piston and arranged directly upon said cylinder to directlycontrol said admission port, and means to move said valve to admit acharge to said cylinder only after the creation of a substantial vacuumby thepiston.

13. In a internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinderhaving inlet and exhaust ports, of a, piston, a slide valve concentricwith the piston and arranged directly upon the cylinder to directlycontrol said admission and exhaust ports, and means .for moving saidvalve whereby said ports 14:. In an internal combustion engine, thecombination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, saidadmission port being arranged in the forward end of the cylinder, aslide valve concentric with the piston and arranged uponthe cylinder todirectly control said admission port, said admission port being adaptedto be covered by said piston except whennear the forward end of itsstroke, and means for moving said valve to open said port only after theformation of a. substantial vacuum by said piston on its forward stroke.

15. In four cycle internal combustion engines, in combination, a piston;a main crank shaft; a connecting rod connecting said piston and saidcrank shaft; a cylinder having exhaust ports in its upper portion, andhaving intake ports in its lower portion; a sleeve fitting closelywithin said cylinder and outside of said piston, and free to move to alimited extent up and down with relation to said cylinder, said sleevehaving' exhaust ports in its upper portion (said ports registering inplan with saidv exhaust ports in said cylinder), and having intake portsin its lower portion (said intake ports registering in plan with saidintake ports in said cylinder); a gear wheel; a gear connecting rodconnecting said gear wheel to said sleeve; a pinion of one half thediameter of said gear wheel, and meshed into said gear wheel, saidpinion being fixed to and concentric with said main crank shaft; saidcrank shaft, pinion, gear wheel, gear connecting rod, sleeve, piston andconnectmg rod all cooperating whereby all of said ports are closedduring the compression stroke and until almost the bottom of theexplosion stroke, and whereby said exhaust 1 5 ports remain closedduringthe intake stroke,

and whereby said intake ports open near the bottom of said intakestroke.

16. In four cycle internal combustion engines, in combination. a piston;a main crank shaft; a connecting rod connecting said piston and saidcrank shaft; a cylinder having exhaust ports in its upper portion, andhaving intake ports in its lower portion; a sleeve fitting closelywithin said 1'1 cylinder and outside of said piston, and free to move toa limited extent up and down with relation to said cylinder, said sleevehaving exhaust ports in its upper portion (said ports registering inplan with said exhaust ports in said cylinder), and having intake portsin its lower portion (said intake ports registering in plan with saidintake ports in said cylinder); means for moving said sleeve to alimited degree up and down 12 in said cylinder; said crank shaft,sleeve, moving means, piston and connecting rod all cooperating wherebyall of said ports are closed during the compression stroke and untilalmost the bottom of the explosion we stroke, and whereby said exhaustports rename. to this specification, in the presence main oen guringdtheekilitire exhaust stroke, of two subscribing witnesses. an w 1ere y saiex aust orts remain closed during the intake strok and where- ANDREWBIKER by said intake ports open near the bottom Witnesses: of saidintake stroke. WM. S. TEEL, Jr.,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my R. M. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O."

